Black History Month motivational speaker tells students how to overcome academic slip-ups

Motivational speaker LaNola Goings shares stories from her past to help uplift students at North Lenoir High School on Wednesday. Goings was the guest speaker for the school’s Black History Month program, themed ‘Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future.’

Zach Frailey / The Free Press

By Jessika Morgan / Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 10:38 PM.

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Anthony Harris, Lenoir County Schools behavioral specialist, said it’s hard for motivational messages to sink into high school students. During a Black History Month program at North Lenoir High School, guest speaker LaNola Goings tried a unique approach.

She highlighted some of her own mistakes.

She told the dozens of students who sat in Young H. Allen Auditorium on Monday morning she flunked out of her first college because she hung with the wrong crowd.

“It meant I did absolutely nothing,” she said as she shared having a 0.856 grade point average that got her released from school.

Goings, who graduated with a 4.06 GPA out of high school, bounced back with a business administration degree from Coker College in South Carolina after some reflection.

“You’ve got to sit down and listen to someone at some point,” she said. “You can learn from your mistakes — I’ve already done it.”

She is now an abstinence and character educator for Heritage Community Services in South Carolina. Because of her work with teens, she called her message timely.

Anthony Harris, Lenoir County Schools behavioral specialist, said it’s hard for motivational messages to sink into high school students. During a Black History Month program at North Lenoir High School, guest speaker LaNola Goings tried a unique approach.

She highlighted some of her own mistakes.

She told the dozens of students who sat in Young H. Allen Auditorium on Monday morning she flunked out of her first college because she hung with the wrong crowd.

“It meant I did absolutely nothing,” she said as she shared having a 0.856 grade point average that got her released from school.

Goings, who graduated with a 4.06 GPA out of high school, bounced back with a business administration degree from Coker College in South Carolina after some reflection.

“You’ve got to sit down and listen to someone at some point,” she said. “You can learn from your mistakes — I’ve already done it.”

She is now an abstinence and character educator for Heritage Community Services in South Carolina. Because of her work with teens, she called her message timely.

“It’s very relevant, because watching the news you see a spiraling effect with gang initiation, teen pregnancy and the spread of (sexually transmitted infections),” Goings said. “Our kids seem to not be focused, and it’s time to get their focus back on why they’re here in school.”

She spoke to the group about the importance of good grades, personal acceptance and how each of them is unique, hoping to get through to at least one.

“Everyone’s not going to receive a message,” said Gil Respess, North Lenoir principal. “The conditions for that person have to be just right. I’m sure (Goings) is going to make a difference in someone’s life today, even if it’s just one person.”

After the program, 12th grader Brittany Cannon said she recognized the vitality of maintaining good school grades.

“I learned to tighten up in school,” she said.

Cannon also pointed out Goings taught her important pieces of black history that have negatively transferred into today’s culture, such as the origin of saggy pants — which came from prison inmates, Goings said.

In a program themed “Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future,” Goings noted that while black culture is headed in the right direction, it’s “ridiculous” for it to be honored into one month. She said it’s a part of American history as a whole.

“It means a lot,” said North Lenoir senior Jonathan Jones about Black History Month. “It makes us up as a culture, and if we don’t keep it up we’re going to lose it. I feel like programs like this help bring it out and help us share it with everybody else.”

Jones, who recited a black history tribute at the beginning of the program, played piano for the school’s gospel choir, which performed “Awesome” and “The Best is Yet to Come.”

“I tried to choose a song that is pretty familiar with everyone,” said Choir Director Cynthia Jarman of the selection. “We wanted to do something really fast and up tempo that encourages students to realize the best is definitely yet to come.”

Choir student Jorie Edwards said gospel music is how black people got through the plight of slavery.

“When you think about it, when slaves worked on the field, that’s all they did was sing old hymns and gospel,” she said. “I would say (gospel music) gave African-Americans hope, even until now.”

Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252 559 1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.